On the day of the celebration of the Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, divine services were held in the Lavra in honor of the dedication feast of the Monastery. Above the Near Caves, there is an ancient Exaltation of the Holy Cross Church, where many saints of the Orthodox Church were buried, and among the great shrines there is a particle of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord.

The all-night vigil in this church was celebrated by metropolitan Pavel, Vicegerent of the Dormition Kyiv-Caves Lavra jointly with the brethren of the Monastery. His Eminence also presided over the festive lity.

Before the small vespers, the cross decorated with flowers was transferred from the altar to the throne accompanied by the singing “O Lord, save Thy people”.

After the great doxology, according to the ancient Orthodox custom, the Rite of the Exaltation of the Cross was performed. Then, with the singing “We worship your Cross, O Lord” all the praying bended their knees to the great shrine, the Lord’s Cross, containing a piece of the Life-Giving Wood, on which Lord Jesus Christ was crucified.

On the day of the feast, the Divine Liturgy in the Exaltation of the Holy Cross Church was celebrated by the Holy Archimandrite of the Monastery. His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphrius of Kyiv and All Ukraine was co-served by metropolitan Pavel of Vyshgorod and Chernobyl, metropolitan Panteleimon of Lugansk and Alchevsk, archbishop Panteleimon of Bucha, bishop Laurus of Irpin, bishop Mark of Borodianka, the brethren and the guests of the Monastery in the holy rite.

At the minor entrance, the Head of the UOC honored hierodeacon Agapitus with a liturgical award in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of his birth. The clergyman of the Kyiv-Caves Lavra was elevated to the rank of archdeacon.

After reading the Gospel part on the suffering and crucifixion of Christ, the Head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church addressed the worshipers with a sermon narrating the significance of the Cross of the Lord in the life of Christians as well as the story of the acquisition of the greatest Christian shrine.

After the Liturgy, the worship to the Lord’s Cross was traditionally performed in the center of the church, whereafter His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphrius congratulated everyone on the great feast and called God’s blessing upon all those praying.

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